Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-09-10
AN ENGLISH STAG HUNT.
ExHILARATINe EFFECT OF A GAL
 LOP OVER THE HEATHER.

LoP OVER THE HEATHER.
 Hurry Is the Word When the Hounds
 Begin to Bay-A Hard Ride to the
 FinIsh-A Stag Facing His FOes-rhs
 Death Stroke.
 We are on the top of Porlock hill, and southward and westward stretch the rolling hills of the forest, scared by the deep coombes and ravines, at the bottom of which invariably runs a stream of water, in which salmon and trout cause many whiri and eddy. The grand old trees on the sloplng sides of these coombes look so quiet and stately that it seems as if we had left the habited world altogether. Northward, thousand feet below us, the Atlantic ocean rolls its waters up the Bristol channel, and dashes it's spray on the shingly beach shadOwed by the trees and brushwood which come quite down to the waters edge. But harkl There's a shout and the pealing of Arthur's horn Something's afoOt -Is it a stag or a hindi' Is the anxious inquiry of everybody. ~There it goes up wonder slope. 'Tis hind, though, with a tufter hard at her heels5 The hound is whipped of, and again we wait That's whimper, surely, below there another, now a chorus from four or five hounds, backed up by notes from a horn All eyes are eagerly watching the edges of the woods to see what breaks out. CraShi By Jovel there he Is, and a splendid fellow, too. What a headi Brow, bay, and tray, and three pon top" 'Tis glorious sight to see him toss back his antlers and go at a long, swinging gallop across the heather and disap- pear over the crest of the opposite hill.
 Hurry is the word Tighten your girths, get into the saddle, and make up your mind for hard ride now, for the stag has gone straight for the moor, and sObbing sides and reddened rowels will tell their usual tale ere we set him up to bay; perhaps in ''Waters- meetn
 The tufters are whipped of, and Arthur rides fast back for the pack, which he quickly brings up and lays on the track. Just min ute the hounds feather, then from old Chal- lenger's throat there comes a roar as he strikes the line; his comrades take up the note, and for a few minutes the hills resound to the deep baying as each dog catches the mystic scent. They rapidly settle down to their long sweeping stride, and the hunt has fairly begun.
 We are in a good position, so far, and feel the exhilarating effect of a mOOrland gallOp as the heather glides under our horses feet.
 Down that coombe the chase takes us, along the bottom, then up the steep sides over the powders and among the larches. Our horses must walk it. At last We reach the brow and observe a few horsemen vanish over the opposite side. We follow hard in their wake, and soon can see the hounds before and below us running fast and close tO the line. Arthur in his scarlet coat is close up with them, as also are about half dozen jealous sportsmen. Two hours, and not a check" Phewi Our horses are beginning 10 feel the strain, and we should not at all object to draw rein, but the gallant beast ahead is showing sport, and he leads us through the beautiful woods and glades Of Horner, past the old water mill, up the stream, and across the side of old Dunkerry, the highest and bleakest hill in the west. Here the hounds waver and lose the scent Ahl what relief to pull up and blow our horses. Five min utes, and nn old hound hits the line again, and says so, and shows the way toward the famous valley where the Doones had their robber stronghold. Few are the riders now, as we lead our foam covered horses down the tremendous declivity none could ride down.. Again we mount, dash through the ford of Bradgeworthy Water, and stretch out for Simonsbath. We take care to avoid riding where the bright green patches of seeming beautiful galloping ground denote the pres ence of bogs, into which it is dangerous to ride Lives are lost by getting into these quagmires, and frequenters of the moor give them as wide berth as possible.
 Hal The hounds swing back towards Bradgeworthy Water, and the stag Is seen below with lowered head now seeking the cooling bath of the waters. No time do the dogs give him, however, and be sinks the hill straight this time 1t is all upF We know now that be has well nigh finished his course, for when deer seek to attain a hilltop by going straight up 'tiS a sure sign of the end. The master and Arthur with one or two other riders in scarlet are in front of us. and we hope that the stag will turn to bay quickly, so that we may be present at the kill The noble brutes we ride have had quite enough of it, and gone Is the free reaching stride of the beginning of the hunt. We struggle on, however, and are gladdened by hearing the baying of the hounds beneath, down by tho stream, beyond that thick bslt of woods We slip and clatter. down ths rough sides. and between the trees we catch a glimpse of scar let and other coats, raging dogs, and, as we get up close, there, with his back against an immense powder, in mid stream, is the old stag facing his foes, and, like gentleman as he is, fighting to the last. One unwary young hound Is ripped up from shoulder to flank by c dash of those terribly sharp browantlers Others, more wise, keep at a distance, and bay till the coombe echoes with their pealing | notes.
 Arthur is in first, and jumping out of the | saddle with the agility of 90 years instead of | 72, gets up the sides of the rock, and when | the deer, with hoof and horn, is keeping his | canine enemies from fastening on him. he | leans forward and sends his hunting knife | deep into his throat With an upward toss of bis head and a roll of his beautifully brown | eyes the stag sinks down into the water dead. | Then the death whoOp peals, and the mort" | is sounded, again and again, -whoop, whO-o- | o-p, who-who-o-op" The shouts make the | coombe echo and re-echo with the shrill hal | loo, and the stragglers coming down the hill | sides know that they are just too late to see the death stroke given.
 The deer is pulled to the bank and his | points are counted and his size admired. He | is then grnllocked and his entrails thrown to | the hounds. The slots (the two fore hoofsl | are given as trophies to two fair ladies, who | have ridden the chase fairly through, from | find to finish Congratulations and expert | ences of the day are exchanged, and merry | ten minutes chat takes place-"The Ethel | ing in The Argonaut